Carl McCoy: Dear Grads, Don’t ‘Do What You Love’ – WSJ.com

Does the doctor love going into the hospital to see a patient in the middle of the night? Does the firefighter love entering a burning building? Does the teacher love trying to control a classroom full of disrespectful children? Not likely. But the work is performed with a sense of purpose that "love" doesn’t capture.We don’t all have to become first responders or social workers. And we can’t all find jobs with such obvious benefits to society. When diplomas are being handed out, though, it might be worthwhile for graduates—and the rest of us—if the popular "do what you love" message were balanced with a more timeless message to find work that, even in some small way, truly matters.

Comments

I agree with the basic premise of this message, especially his effort to point out that while many people don’t always “love” their jobs, they are doing work that matters. I have always been envious of those people you meet who do actually love their jobs, unfortunately that has never been me.